Nintendo 3DS Getting New Games, Video Recording, Analog Pad

Nintendo has announced that the 3DS will be getting a free 3D video recording update in November, and that the highly anticipated Super Mario Land 3D and Mario Kart 7 games will launch in time for the holiday season.

Nintendo is trying hard to build interest in the 3DS handheld game system. The company dropped the price of the 3DS from $250 to $170 last month, and has now announced that it will be getting 3D video recording, an optional add-on secondary analog pad, and two new Mario games by the holiday season.

The Nintendo 3DS has been able to take 3D photos since its release, but an update will add video functionality to the system. The free update, planned for this November, will let users record 3D video, which can then be viewed in 3D on the device's screen.

Nintendo also finally announced the release dates of two of the most anticipated Nintendo 3DS games: Super Mario Land 3D and Mario Kart 7. The two games will hit stores on November 13 and December 4, respectively. They stand out as the first major first-party releases for the system since its March launch that aren't remakes of Nintendo 64 titles (The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time 3D launched last June and Star Fox 64 3D launched this week).

While it's not confirmed for release in North America yet, an add-on analog stick will be hitting the 3DS in Japan on December 10. The 3DS shell puts a second analog pad on the right side of the system. It will retail for the equivalent of $20 in Japan and will require an AAA battery to run. Based on the design, confirmed by PC World, it likely will not function with third-party battery packs like the Nyko Power Pack+. If this add-on is going to hit North America, it likely won't come until next year.

About the Author

Will Greenwald has been covering consumer technology for a decade, and has served on the editorial staffs of CNET.com, Sound & Vision, and Maximum PC. His work and analysis has been seen in GamePro, Tested.com, Geek.com, and several other publications. He currently covers consumer electronics in the PC Labs as the in-house home entertainment expert... See Full Bio

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